Enter the Everflame
by PubProse
Summary: The harrowing tale of the nights before the adventurers arrive


The road out of Kassan was kept safe for the most part. Rarely did wild beasts, monsters or people assail travelers. Typically I wouldn't have minded walking on the road, especially with a group of us together but he light from our torches touched only the nearest parts of the forest at night. Every few steps I thought I saw shadows or heard twigs breaking beneath hidden footsteps. The horses we rode on paid no mind to the menacing aura of the woods so I relaxed. The animals had sharper senses than I and a better sense of mind too it seemed.

"You alright Roldare?" the front member of group asked, "you seem a little scared." I couldn't see it but I could tell Vark sneered as he said it.

The other two travelers with us talked idly at the back. My sister Dimira discussed at great lengths the simple aspects of our life on the farm with the fourth and final of our group, Gerol. I didn't like the man one bit, Gerol was superficially gallant and almost seemed to fancy himself a hedge knight of sorts. When Dimira wasn't around he happily jeered at me when Vark would go on with his verbal abuses.

No matter, the men and us were here for a job from the mayor of Kassan himself. The town had a history of sending young upstarts on mock quests. Many before have plunged into the Crypt of Kassan and lit the Everflame to herald a plentiful and abundant harvest. As a boy I always wanted to join, but my ailments in youth kept me from it. The stories townsfolk alleged about young folk going missing on the quest were just a myth of course. I was smarter than that. The youths most likely decided it was a good time to leave town travelling to become real adventurers against real monsters or to simply party their youth away in the village next-door. Nearly everyone who left on the quest to the Crypt of the Everflame returned with nothing more than minor injuries at worst.

My line of thought broke suddenly as a lone wolf's howl at the moon bellowed through the woods. Vark snickered again and I could hear Gerol whisper something quietly to Dimira as she gave a forced and reluctant giggle in response. The horses whinnied and jostled but remained controlled. I glowered under my hood hoping for a moment the wolves would pounce, just to pick-off the pompous fool in the front.

The rest of the journey was relatively quiet. We arrived well after morning and decided to unload the horses before making camp. The heavy wooden door to the crypt creaked open only just enough for us to make our way inside. The festival was still several days away and our rations would feed us for however long our work would take. Our job was to reset all the traps and contraptions set generations ago and replenish the trinkets that acted as treasure for the questers. The horses were held outside and the vaulted room beyond the tomb's entrance made for a fine campsite according to Vark, who placed himself as the team's leader.

Our ride there was surprisingly draining it seemed and despite our best efforts we could only cover the upper floor with baubles and traps before breaking for rest. I sat apart from the others as night began to fall outside, even my sister didn't seem too interested in keeping me company and was more keen on conversing with Gerol. He kept gently caressing Dimira's arm and I prayed that if they had to find company in each other they would have the decency to do so back in town.

I laid down to rest risking the cold breeze that carried its way from the depths of the crypt. My slumber broke as I heard a woman shriek. Bolting awake I heard Dimira crying out in the crypt's dark recesses. I couldn't see where she was and by now the others were wide awake as well. Our fire had died but I revived my lantern to look around.

My eyes settled on approaching movement and I called out, "Dimira are you alright?"

There was no reply but I heard a dozen more footsteps. Fright began to overcome me again. One of the other men's lanterns leapt to life and the light cast jagged and awful shadows. Gerol drew his blade as clacking bones lumbered from the darkness. Deep empty eyes and dreaded jeering grins of those long dead denizens of the town laid to rest here rattled as they hurriedly languished forward. Vark unsheathed his dagger and readied his defense when another cry from Demira carried its way up from the dense blackness of the side room.

Without hesitation I ran, I ran and rushed into the depths to find Demira. Vark and Gerol turned toward me to shout but they vanished beneath an avalanche of bones. The lanterns tumbled into the corners and they screamed as they fought vainly. Vicious shades cast from the tumbled lantern lit the shadows of the two men as they met a grisly end. Their deaths meant nothing to me, in fact I could even be thankful to the gruesome intruders. Vark and Gerol's lives were extinguished in the uncaring darkness and every fiber of my being wanted to turn and watch the braggarts being torn to shreds by the bleached claws of the wandering skeletons, but I had to find Demira, wherever she went.

I ran through the trap room we previously tended to earlier in the day, but lost my way in the dark corridors beyond. I turned and bounded down the hallway until I realized my error. I had blocked myself in and entrapped myself in a side room. Reeling around I heard the clattering encroaching towards me.

As I turned to peer at my pursuers I heard a bellowing, reverberating voice echo forth, "bring me the girl..." I could have sworn in the moment I saw the shape of a young maid being pulled around the corner.

Reflexively and cowardly, I closed the door to the storeroom and reinforced it with whatever my fingers found in the darkness. The scratching was only broken by the screaming of my sister and the shrewd shouts from the deep voice in the deep darkness beyond. It felt like it lasted hours or maybe days. I laid in the horrible dark trying to hide away from the hazards outside. The battle ended and silence came covering everything for what felt like an eternity. Every second felt like a day and every day could have been a second.

Silence. Silence forever, for a better fate I did not deserve. Despite my hopes as child I saw now that I was no hero. In the moment it counted I abandoned my sweet sister and cowered like the homely creature I was. Perhaps the other members of the party should have survived instead of me if only to save Demira. Death couldn't even end my guilt I guess. In the darkness of this dungeon I could have sworn mixed among the scratches at the door I could hear the heckling whispers of Vark and Gerol spending their afterlife to harass me. I still had my crossbow and bolts and perhaps if they don't stop berating me from their cold grave, I would choose to use those to help my way to the other side, if only make them stop.


End file.
